


Rewired

by Cuzosu



Category: Bleach
Genre: M/M, Yaoi, semi-au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-09-09
Updated: 2012-09-12
Packaged: 2017-11-13 21:18:46
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,985
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/507813
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cuzosu/pseuds/Cuzosu
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Expanded version of Kat's story "Wire".... I thought there were other scenes readers might enjoy. ;) (Not that I'm saying Kat's work lacked; she just made my mind spin out more and more ideas, and when I asked if I could pretty please expand "Wire" she very kindly said I could.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. One Down

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Wire](https://archiveofourown.org/works/358842) by [blackkat](https://archiveofourown.org/users/blackkat/pseuds/blackkat). 



> Title: Rewired
> 
> Author: Cuzosu
> 
> Rating: M for eventual yaoi, swearing, combat, and possibly other things. If other things come up, I will warn you in the chapter warning itself.
> 
> Summary: based off Kat's "Wire" - though I'm extending it a good bit. Will probably be posted in six chapters, though "Wire" was in five scenes. If you want a better summary, go read "Wire."
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach, and I don't make any money for writing this.
> 
> A/N: I read "Wire" and found myself curious to no end about what all happened between them other than the scenes in the story, so...while I don't want to expand it too much, I have gone to some pains to show different scenarios that could have also affected their actions and reactions toward each other. Some of the scenes I added were a real hassle to get right, too. :P But I'm having fun with it, and I hope you readers do too!

**Rewired: One Down**

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When the summons came, Shuuhei Hisagi didn't have to be an oracle to know he was not going to enjoy whatever Captain-Commander Yamamoto had planned. But he was the one who'd chosen this job, and he wasn't going to leave it just because he didn't like some of his orders. He'd be no use to anybody if he did that.

So he made sure his squad was acting efficiently and then made his way to the meeting room the Thirteen Court Guard Squads used. The only ones present were Tenth Squad's Captain Hitsugaya and the captain-commander himself.

"Lieutenant Hisagi."

"Sir."

"Other captains have reported that morale is low at the Academy because no officer from Squads Three, Five, or Nine has taught a class since before the Winter War. Since Squad Nine is currently the best organized of the three and has the highest morale, you have been chosen to teach for a year. You'll start tomorrow."

_...fuck. I have to teach people who aren't even full-fledged shinigami yet? Sometimes I wish we had a captain again, just so I wouldn't have to do this shit._

What he said was, "Yes, sir." But behind the obedient facade was a deadly shinigami who was tired of filling two posts in his division, no matter how competent he was. Oh, make no mistake, he quite appreciated his squad and he knew there was, at the moment, no other choice, but damn it, the whole thing was getting old.

Well, it was only a year, right?

"Tenth Squad will support you, should you need it."

_Ten to one says if Rangiku is there she'll distract the students..._

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Shuuhei Hisagi growled under his breath, cursing his luck - or lack thereof. He'd been given a list of students - _first year fucking students_ \- so he could vouch for who was present and who was not. But it wasn't just the thought of having to help these young, foolish people decide whether or not they actually wanted to _be_ shinigami that was annoying him. It was also that he had that substitute in this class - Kurosaki, Ichigo Kurosaki. And that same irresponsible, brash younger man...was going to be in _his_ class? _His?_ Out of all the classes he could have been placed in...

The raven-haired lieutenant sighed to himself. _I wonder if I should stock up on headache medicine..._

No, he was _not_ looking forward to starting to teach.

_What the hell did I do to offend the commander? Newbies **and** Kurosaki is a bit much._

And then he opened the door to the classroom. His headache worsened immediately when the class froze and stared - some of them ogling the lieutenant at his side and some watching him fearfully.

_Dealing with my squad is **so** much easier..._

It was the first day of a year of teaching, and Shuuhei was already tired of it. He didn't like the presence of so many hormonal, indecisive, typically bored students. Kazeshini thought it was wonderful, but snarled when denied the right to use any students as target practice. Attempting to ignore his irate Zanpakuto, the lieutenant let his eyes wander.

There were probably about a hundred fresh-faced students in the room, wide-eyed and, in most cases, either flirting with Rangiku Matsumoto - whom Captain Hitsugaya would probably ensure was here to help her friend for the rest of the year - or sneaking panicked glances at Shuuhei himself.

Honestly, Shuuhei was expecting Kurosaki to be glaring at him impatiently, or something along those lines, but instead... Instead, Ichigo Kurosaki, though renowned for being a rebel and something of a trouble-maker, was waiting calmly, notebook out, pen ready.

Oh, that was right. Several of Ichigo's other friends had mentioned that he'd been a good student in the world of the living. Maybe this wouldn't be as bad as he'd thought.

Except for the pre-written speech he had to give, loaded with talk of duty, honor, and teamwork - drivel specially prepared for would-be heroes, people who romanticized a lost age.

_I'm going to gag on the words coming out of my mouth,_ the dark-haired lieutenant thought disgustedly. But he buried the sentiment for the time being and recited onward.

Some ten, maybe fifteen minutes later - he cut it short against orders because the students showed signs of listlessness and boredom - he finished the speech with, "Since your attention appears to be wandering, I'll introduce myself and my fellow representative again. The lady beside me that no few of you have been ogling," he managed not to snort laughter at the way approximately a third of the class jerked guiltily, "is Squad Ten's lieutenant, Rangiku Matsumoto. Guys, don't get carried away; trust me, at this point your studies are more important than how good she looks."

Rangiku made a face at him in between bits of doe-eyed flirting with a brawny student who returned the interest with whole-hearted enthusiasm. He could read between the lines. _Don't shoo them away!_

"Girls, don't worry, she cares and will help with any problems you need addressed. Lieutenant Matsumoto is here to oversee the class, notice things I might miss, and help as needed." _A third of the class is engrossed with Rangiku, another third appears to be taking this seriously, and the last third...is sleeping. Time to do something about the sleepers..._

"My _name_ ," he barked as he slammed his hand down on a desk, "is Shuuhei Hisagi. I am the lieutenant of Ninth Squad, and this year I am your home room teacher."

Students startled awake - one lanky brunette fell out of his chair - and watched him, scared. To his opinion, it served them right. He'd never slept in his classes, and the teachers had made sure everyone paid attention; maybe he'd say something about whoever else had been teaching lately, because this level of laxness in trainee shinigami was unacceptable.

Somebody in the back muttered, "What an asshole," and Shuuhei bit back a feral smile. _No shit, genius,_ he thought to himself. _And if you're acting like that, you deserve it._

His voice came out harsh and cold as he said, "Don't expect me to coddle you; no matter how good you are, there's room for improvement, and I _will not_ give good grades to anyone I don't see making an effort. Family names mean nothing; I came from Rukongai, and frankly I think most of you are too lazy to be shinigami. Which leaves you two choices: grow up, or wash out.

"Also, let me lay down some rules for if hollows show up at bad times. If the hollows are low enough in power we will let you test your skills on them, under the supervision of Lieutenant Matsumoto, your classmate Kurosaki, and myself. If the hollows are too powerful for you but not particularly problematic for us, Lieutenant Matsumoto will teach the class until I have taken care of the matter." _Because she doesn't like to exert herself where she doesn't have to, and I know it._ "However, if the hollows are likely to cause problems for just one of your instructors, then instead of leaving you unguarded you will be under Lieutenant Matsumoto's care until such time as Kurosaki and I have eliminated or chased off the hollows."

Whispers flew across the classroom. Kurosaki appeared to be turning a deliberately deaf ear to them, but Shuuhei knew how annoying people whispering could get - and he most definitely did have a temper, it was just carefully hidden - so the dark-haired, tattooed man whistled, ear-piercingly sharp.

"I told you that for your _safety,_ not because I think you need to alienate your classmate." _Idiots._ "Foolishness does _not_ impress me. Now, let's start today's lesson..."

Chagrined, the class fell silent.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was probably mean of him, but Ichigo Kurosaki found himself inwardly amused by his fellow students' reactions to Lieutenant Hisagi's reintroduction. The tattooed man's patience was wearing thin, he could tell. Well, dealing with the work of both captain and lieutenant positions would make anyone angry. And Ichigo had heard bits and pieces about the dark-haired man's Zanpakuto that had made his hair stand on end, so his respect for the older shinigami rose higher. _Self-control is hell to keep._

The bit about him helping the lieutenants with hollows was mildly surprising, but the truly startling part was Hisagi's cutting commentary about alienating classmates and foolishness, and Ichigo couldn't help but think the man wasn't such an asshole after all. Contrary to prior impressions. Well, there was probably good reasoning that so many of Ichigo's shinigami friends respected the man who was running Squad Nine.

When the lieutenant started class for real, started teaching, Ichigo bit back a smile. He knew the other man had cut short what he'd been ordered to say, but he'd heard from Renji that Hisagi wasn't a real stickler for rules. According to the redheaded lieutenant, Hisagi was only a stickler for what worked in time and/or kept people alive. In other words, mostly timing. Not that the lieutenant minded following rules; it was just that when a situation got dangerous, the man was inclined to throw the rules out the metaphorical window.

Honestly, Ichigo found no small amount of amusement in the irony of the tattooed lieutenant being chosen as the representative for his class. The man was running a squad on his own _on top of teaching an unruly class of first-year students._ It was impressive, and the substitute shinigami was reasonably sure he himself would not do so with such equanimity. Obviously the lieutenant was a wolf in sheepdog's clothing, and it mystified him how no one else could see the fact. _Although he's got great acting skills, since everyone seems to think he's just a solid, workaholic officer._

For the first time since he'd died, Ichigo Kurosaki found himself looking forward to classes. Having Hisagi as his home room teacher looked like it would make things much more interesting. He bent his head to hide a smile as he focused on the book work in front of him.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

By the end of the first day, Shuuhei had to admit he found himself impressed. Not only was Ichigo Kurosaki not acting restless or hotheaded, but the redhead had actually _studied._ He'd taken notes, observed practical demonstrations and maps with keen eyes, and had absorbed information like a sponge.

It was no secret he was attending the Academy for the history, because his fighting skills were already at least captain-level. His knowledge of the Soul Society, however, was rudimentary at best. Thus, the time in classes. Though he was still on call for emergencies, and would fight if needed.

Frankly, the boy's maturity through the day was astonishing, and Shuuhei was impressed - but he'd hang himself before he admitted that. The lieutenant had come in expecting to hate the young substitute shinigami for his wild and reckless ways, his brashness and that infamously quick temper. Instead he'd been confronted by a young man who was, in action, nearly his identical mirror-twin from his own Academy days. Quiet, aloof, a little angry, but ultimately focused on success.

How shocking, being proven so wrong. For that matter, how shocking to be reminded of his own past.

"Alright, class, that's all for today. Anyone who shows up tomorrow without the required class materials will be docked five points. This will be standard procedure from here on. Preparation is a rule of thumb for shinigami; anyone who cannot follow this common sense rule will not survive. I'll see you all tomorrow. Dismissed."

Rangiku laughed. "Such a hard-liner, Shuu."

The classroom was full of chatter and gossip, but Kurosaki was silent, keeping to himself, calmly gathering his materials. It probably shouldn't have surprised the lieutenant that the redheaded boy hadn't rushed from the classroom, but it did. Though after Shuuhei had thought about it for a moment, it made sense. Kurosaki had fought in a war, had done most of his growing up in the most sobering scenario possible. Compared to his classmates, the young shinigami was centuries older in maturity, and it showed in the way he held himself apart from them.

Until one shy, quiet girl who'd been sitting in the front seemed to gather her courage, clutching her books to her chest. Hisagi had her down in his mind as one of the terrified ones who would wash out probably within the first month. Over the sound of Matsumoto's flirting, Shuuhei could just catch her near-silent request for help.

He expected Kurosaki to look at her and scoff, or glare, or just walk away.

Instead, the former substitute pinned her with an assessing gaze, then shouldered his books and nodded. He wasn't nearly so quiet as the shy girl, so Shuuhei heard him clearly when he said, "Yeah, I'll help you study. But you've gotta do part of this yourself, too. If you don't want to be a shinigami, you'll never get it."

That was...actually helpful advice. Shuuhei blinked at Kurosaki in astonishment as he led the small girl out into the hall. By the time the door slid shut behind them, his mind was already spinning with half-formed plans and ideas that probably had no bearing on anything.

But...what if they did?

What if Kurosaki could really become a shinigami who would truly benefit Soul Society in the wake of the three captains' betrayal?

It was food for thought, and _damn it,_ Shuuhei couldn't stop thinking about it.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Day two was interesting. Shuuhei admitted to himself a certain curiosity about how this class would be affected by Kurosaki, and perhaps even vice-versa. He'd arrived early, of course - this time half an hour - and was proud to say his squad was doing fine without him at the moment, although other squads' captains covered for him when the Ninth was scheduled to be on call.

Kurosaki was in the door five minutes later, followed by the shy girl. She was frowning slightly as she asked him a question, so softly Shuuhei couldn't hear over the _shush_ of the door sliding closed behind them. The redheaded student seemed to fumble for words for a second before he led her up to the other man.

"Lieutenant, she has a question about reiatsu control, and I'm not the best at that. You should probably take this one."

One black eyebrow rose. "So you bring her to me instead of my fellow lieutenant?" he asked wryly. Probably he was feeling mischievous, because the former substitute knew several officers of the Thirteen Court Guard Divisions pretty well indeed. No doubt the younger man knew a decent bit about almost everyone of any rank in Soul Society now. "Think she'll feel more comfortable with a hard-liner like me than a caring woman like Rangiku Matsumoto?"

Ichigo scoffed. "In the first place, you're the teacher, and don't even try to tell me you don't take your responsibilities seriously; I've heard about you booting even captains out if they're interfering with your work for too long, you know." The girl's eyes widened with slightly panicked awe. "And in the second place...would you take someone who wants to learn as much as possible to Matsumoto?"

Hisagi chuckled, a rough, growling sound that startled the shy girl. "Hey now, don't go badmouthing my comrade, Kurosaki! She does what needs doing." There was a warning beneath the humor, and the redhead caught it.

The younger shinigami snorted. "Yeah, but she doesn't like to do any more than what's necessary, and some students want to learn more. I'm not saying she's not capable, just that she doesn't like to do more than she has to. That's not the greatest trait in a teacher."

Shuuhei raised his hands placatingly. "Alright, alright, point taken!" he laughed. "You want time for students to ask me questions, you got it. Now," he turned to the shy girl, "what's the question, exactly?" As Ichigo opened his mouth to explain, the lieutenant raised a hand. "Not you, Kurosaki, _her._ If she can't ask a superior for help, she'll never make it."

Mouth closing, the former substitute nodded shortly. He didn't like the way Hisagi was coming across as an asshole, but there was probably a reason for it or the lieutenant wouldn't do it. (He wasn't drunk, which Ichigo had heard was the only time he was an asshole without a reason. Plus, he was at work. Ergo, he was sober.)

Mouse-brown hair covered her eyes as the girl hid her face in a bout of panic. She mumbled something.

"Sorry, kid, didn't catch that," the lieutenant informed her briskly, leaning back in his chair and putting his feet on the desk with a facade of nonchalance. "Gotta speak up; I ain't a mind reader." Shuuhei's voice was rough with laughter, but he didn't miss the glare or the slight flare in reiatsu from the redhead. He managed not to snort at the youth's overprotectiveness, but only barely.

Very softly, still mumbling, the girl said, "I don't get what he meant about reiatsu and individual Zanpakutos. How are they supposed to work together?"

Shuuhei blinked, looking askance at the former substitute shinigami. "Kurosaki...how do you _not_ know how to explain this?"

Suddenly defensive, the redhead growled, "Look, I had it explained to me by Mr. Hat-and-Clogs, okay? The man delights in confusing people, especially if he can piss me off in the process!"

The lieutenant coughed. " _Mr. Hat-and-Clogs?_ You call a former captain of the Gotei Thirteen _Mr. Hat-and-Clogs?"_ He snorted and started laughing. "Don't ever let Yamamoto hear that; he'll kick your ass for lack of respect."

Chocolate eyes glared at the tattooed officer. "Thanks for the tip." There was an unspoken _you asshole_ in that statement, but it was understood anyway.

"Can I get an _answer_ already?" the girl demanded quietly.

Both males blinked at her, and then Shuuhei grinned. "Hah, see, you _can_ talk if you need to! At a higher decibel, too. Good. I actually heard you fine that time. Wouldn't cut it in a crisis, but it's a start."

She stared at him, aghast. What the hell kind of teacher acted like an asshole to get his students to speak louder? Could she maybe change classes, or was it too late? She'd been assigned to this class even though she herself was in a higher year and unable to graduate - for the third time - and had been placed in this room without her request or consent, which meant one of the higher ups thought she would benefit from either the class or the teacher. _I'm doomed,_ she thought morosely.

He must have read at least part of that look, because he smiled crookedly and said, "If you think this is me being an ass, pray you never see me drunk."

Rangiku came in just in time to overhear that statement and see the scandalized look on the girl's face. "Shuuhei, don't lie!" she chided him with a smile. "You're a natural ass, it's just that you're really good at hiding that from superiors!"

Hisagi glanced at her and raised one eyebrow. "Really? My combat abilities and tactics have nothing to do with my advancement, then?" he queried mockingly.

She laughed. "Oh, but they do! Of course our superiors like to see you being an absolute asshole to our enemies!"

He graced her with a faintly perplexed look. "Woman, you are trashing my reputation when students are present; were you drinking last night?"

Rangiku giggled. "What do you think, Shuu?" She hid what was either a burp or a hiccup behind one hand.

The tattooed lieutenant sighed and summoned a hell butterfly. It would later arrive at Captain Hitsugaya's side with the message that Lieutenant Matsumoto was sent home on account of having drank too much the night before. A second butterfly went to Renji, in the hope that the redhead would be sober enough to escort their fellow officer home.

As they waited, the tattooed man elaborated on his last statement to the girl. "When I drink, you can forget about any filter between my mind and my mouth; if I think it, I say it." He snorted. "Last time I got drunk in a bar, Renji's captain had to come get him. Something to do with work. And...lack of filter between mind and mouth...I said something I shouldn't have - and never would have sober because I'm not that stupid, thanks... Long story short, he said if I got drunk even once in the next month, he'd use kido to bind me, drop me in Twelfth Division's headquarters, and destroy my clothes before he left."

There was good reason for the suspicion on the redhead's face. "What did you say?" Ichigo asked warily.

Grimacing, the older man said, "Never mind what I said; I'm not discussing this in front of anyone who doesn't have bankai."

Mouse-brown hair was hiding the girl's face again, and Hisagi admitted annoyance to himself because he couldn't remember her name. From the looks of things, she was embarrassed as all hell to be hearing these things...and being the one who wasn't allowed to know what had been said.

Flicking a piece of paper at the girl to get her attention, the dark-haired lieutenant huffed at her and said, "Nothing against you; what happens between officers stays between officers."

This statement drew a scoffing sound from Ichigo. "Uh-huh. Then why did you say that anyone who has bankai can know?"

"Because you're _going_ to be either a captain or a lieutenant by the time you're done here, and Kisuke Urahara and Yoruichi Shihoin are both ex-captains who have bankai; do you really think no one is going to tell at least one of you three? Renji'd tell you the next time it crossed his mind, Yoruichi could ask Soi Fon, and Urahara's genius enough he'd probably figure it out on his own if someone told him what Captain Kuchiki's threat was."

Silence fell for a short time.

"... Okay, you have a point there."

"Thanks," drawled the lieutenant. Dark eyes snuck a glance at his fellow lieutenant, and Shuuhei was relieved to see Rangiku had passed out. Renji appeared in the doorway and raised an eyebrow not two minutes later, and the raven-haired man gestured him to her with a nod, thanking his redheaded friend for the help.

As he left, Renji called back to him, "Hey, workaholic, we're gettin' drunk this weekend; you don't get to make excuses!"

"You just like to watch me piss everyone off!" retorted Shuuhei.

"I call bullshit; I've never seen you piss Rangiku off!"

"Hah! That's 'cause I did once, and she's kept to just flirting ever since! You weren't there; ask her what happened!"

There was indistinct swearing as the other officer left hearing range, and then a tremulous voice said, "I know I'm going to regret asking this, but what did you do or say to Lieutenant Matsumoto?"

Both men blinked at the shy girl. Spending time around the two of them appeared to be bringing out some hidden sides.

Then the dark-haired man grinned. "She tried to get me to sleep with her; I made it clear I wasn't interested."

The innocent act made Ichigo suspicious. "How did you make it clear you weren't interested? I get the feeling that's why you say she won't do more than flirt with you now."

"I told her I thought Renji was hotter than she was, and when she wouldn't stop - and since Renji wasn't there to play along - I kissed Kira." Hisagi grinned. "He nailed me fifteen times with Wabisuke for it, and I threw up on his feet 'cause I couldn't move."

The girl was not the only one to make disgusted noises, to which the lieutenant chuckled and said, "Hey, it got her to quit trying to get in my pants, and that was my goal!" Then the bell rang. As the students moved to take their seats, Shuuhei told her, "If we don't get to it in class today, stay over for a little bit and I'll give you a demonstration."

And then class was in session. The lieutenant stated the goal for the day and then added, "It's been brought to my attention that some of you may be hesitant to ask questions in front of the class. That being the case, I will be here an hour early and half an hour later each day, and if I do not get to anyone, you may ask any member of Squad Nine where to find me during working hours."

Some students appeared relieved at having a teacher available outside of class; some seemed indifferent. And about a third of the class looked disappointed that it wasn't Matsumoto - and were looking around, wondering where she was. _Ah, well... She'll be back tomorrow, hopefully not hungover this time._ Shaking off his thoughts, the tattooed man led the class into the lesson, this time covering kido. He was not looking forward to being called on when the students used binding spells on each other... The only one who would absolutely not be caught in the shenanigans was Kurosaki, and that was because in the first place his reiatsu was such that very few could possibly catch him in kido bindings, and in the second place he was never going to be up to, say, Kira's level with kido, and was fine with that. Kurosaki knew he could fight well with the skills he had. That was one thing that made it easier to tolerate teaching the younger man. He knew - _knew_ \- how serious these skills were, so misusing them was against every combat-trained instinct he had.

Toward the end of the class period, Hisagi did finally manage to cover the connection between reiatsu and Zanpakuto control and capabilities, and the look of understanding that dawned on the girl's face made the morning's escapades worthwhile.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next morning, Lieutenant Hisagi arrived an hour early, and Ichigo was there almost immediately to ask about that drunken incident. Shuuhei couldn't say he was surprised, but it was still mildly annoying.

So he responded with, "I was drunk, man, what do you think I did? No filter, remember?" When this didn't slake the thirst for knowledge, he scratched the back of his head in embarrassment and admitted, "Asking Byakuya if his sister does his hair and calling him a pretty boy weren't enough." He coughed embarrassedly. "That whole no filter thing. Um. But I think the final straw was telling him if Renji wasn't satisfying him, from the way Yumichika screams some nights I'm fairly sure Ikkaku could give him something better than a stick up his ass."

Ichigo suddenly, fervently wished he didn't know the man in front of him. "You said that to _Byakuya?_ Stick-up-his-ass, no-sense-of-humor Byakuya?"

Shrugging, the lieutenant reminded him, "Yeah, I was drunk. _Very_ drunk."

The redhead rubbed his face with one hand, wishing he could scrub the memory of this conversation from his brain. "You deserved worse than just a threat."

Shuuhei grinned. "Well, yes. Quite. Especially since I got drunk again the night after, at Kira's. And somehow pissed off Yachiru - don't ask; I was so drunk I don't even remember what I did, and no one will tell me - but she managed to keep me from a drinking binge the night after that."

This time Ichigo didn't bother to speak, just raised one eyebrow at him. And Shuuhei got defensive.

"She's the president of the Women's Society, okay? First she hit me upside the head so hard I had a headache for the next three days, and then she threatened to bring Byakuya to the next bar night if I didn't go along with some stupid pictures the women wanted! Fuck!"

Kurosaki was no one's fool. He knew a bad thing when he heard it. "What pictures?"

Hisagi looked away, defeated. If he didn't elaborate somehow, the younger man would go elsewhere for information, he knew. But it was too embarrassing to say aloud. "Next time you see Kira, ask him. I talked him into helping steal the pictures. Negatives are ash in the wind; Kira kept the pictures for when he gets depressed. Says they make him laugh and remember it can always be worse."

Ichigo graced the tattooed lieutenant with a wary look, but the questions subsided. When the shy girl arrived, they were poring over a scroll full of history, Kurosaki asking for clarification when he didn't quite understand something. Hisagi was impressed with the younger man's willingness to learn and ask for help if he didn't get things.

Head lowered because she was still uneasy around authority figures in particular, the girl pulled a chair up to the teacher's desk and joined them. It wasn't long before she too was caught up in learning, asking quiet questions about shinigami techniques and Zanpakutos.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The year passed quickly enough, with other students occasionally joining the lieutenant in the mornings or after school for answers or study sessions. And every so often - about once or twice a week - the former substitute shinigami and his shy classmate would show up in the classroom or Hisagi's office with relevant questions, or requests for practical demonstrations. It was...fun, Shuuhei realized. He didn't much care for the other students, the ones who didn't bother to ask for help, but teaching people like these two...he could enjoy that.

Only maybe fifteen times during the school year did hollows make it past the squads on duty and near the school, so class wasn't often interrupted. Eight of those were problematic enough that Hisagi handed the class to Matsumoto and took Kazeshini out. One was powerful enough that the tattooed lieutenant turned to Kurosaki, tilted his head and said, "Not rusty, are you?"

Of course Ichigo knew a challenge when he heard one, and retorted with, "Ha, don't let me show you up, now, _sensei!"_

Broad grins on both faces, the two men used shunpo and leapt out the open window nearest the hollow. Matsumoto, instead of teaching, said, "You should probably see this, class. Let's follow them, but stay behind me, everyone."

The hollow incursion turned out to be a pair of Menos Grande - and the dark-haired man was sure that more people from the Gotei Thirteen would be along soon, because there was _no way in hell_ two of the damn things had gotten in unless some shinigami somewhere had either been killed or overwhelmed by numbers or force. But really, he was pretty sure that he and the other man could deal with the enemies themselves.

"Kurosaki, you up for one on one?"

"Hell yeah."

Lips stretched in feral grins, shunpo propelling them forward at high speeds, they drew their blades and attacked. Head first might not have been the smartest way to go...had they been anyone else.

Zanpakuto in its sealed state, Hisagi raised a hand and muttered, and a kido binding flashed into place on one hollow's foot. It turned its head slowly to look, which gave him time to release Kazeshini into his shikai form and set the lethal blades whirling toward the mask. Shunpo took him higher up and reiatsu kept him at a distance, and maybe Shuuhei was insane but this was _fun!_ He ducked a clawed hand, unable to hold back a chuckle.

Ichigo heard it. "What the hell around you laughing about? You losing your mind or something, lieutenant?"

Laughing openly now, to the bafflement of the class below, Hisagi flared reiatsu along Kazeshini's chain and spun the scythes. "Some days I completely understand the Eleventh's love of fighting. It's been a while since I let Kazeshini out. Why the hell do only small fries show up on my watch shifts?"

It was the orange-haired man's turn to laugh. "That an invitation to spar with you sometimes? 'cause I'll take you up on it if that's what you meant. Renji's busy half the time lately." Zangetsu turned aside the other hollow's claws, and he saw its mouth open to fire a cero.

"Getsuga Tensho!" snarled the former substitute.

Below and behind the fighters, the class gasped in awe. The sheer power of the attacks, the ferocity...the fact that neither man had activated bankai...it all combined to make this the most impressive display of shinigami techniques they'd ever seen.

But honestly, the men fighting were getting bored. These enemies weren't on their level and since they had just agreed to spar each other, that match was much more promising.

"Hey, lieutenant, I'm getting bored here. If you'll keep them in place for a bit I'll kill them. We'll get to spar sooner."

The tattoo on Shuuhei's cheek flashed briefly in the light as he grinned. "You drive a hard bargain, Kurosaki. But if you insist..."

Matsumoto hid a grin at the stunned looks on the students' faces when Hisagi finally got serious. His eyes grew colder, harder, and he took hold of Kazeshini with both hands, giving his Zanpakuto the command _reap._ Kazeshini nearly leapt out of his hands, apparently enjoying his time to play. But the blades sank into the hollows easily, and wrapping them with the chain took little effort on Hisagi's part.

Ichigo didn't need to be told when the lieutenant had the hollows immobilized; he focused his energy, his determination, and his eyes glinted silver as he demonstrated Getsuga Tensho again.

Fight over, the lieutenant purified the souls that were all that remained of the hollows, and then both men returned to the class - and the class to the classroom.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Before anyone realized it, the year was over. The students graduating stood lined up in front of the year's teachers and Captain-Commander Yamamoto stood at the end of the commemorations line, waiting to congratulate the graduates. Kurosaki Ichigo stood off within the crowd, in honor of one of the few fellow students he'd actually befriended.

When the little brunette was in front of him, Lieutenant Hisagi clapped a hand to her shoulder. "Congratulations, kid. Guess this is why you were put in my class. Had to get over being shy at some point." He winked, grinning when she blushed. _Not to mention she's a hell of a lot better with her Zanpakuto._

Quietly, the girl said, "I was going to give up if I didn't make it this year." She looked up and met his eyes, and Shuuhei was blinded by her sudden, excited smile. "Thank you, sir! I wouldn't have made it without you being..."

"An ass," the tattooed man supplied, grinning easily back at her. "That's the general consensus in the Gotei Thirteen." And he chuckled. "You'll see me being an ass occasionally, still, you know; don't feel like suddenly I'll be gone and you can revert!"

She gave him a mock offended look and snorted derisively. "You taught me better than that! I may be shy at first but I'll get over that." And she smiled that blinding smile again.

"'atta girl!" he laughed. "Knock 'em flat! If you need help, you know where to find me!" He was proud of her, he really was; not many as shy as she had been would've been able to overcome that and take a seated position in any of the Gotei Thirteen.

The girl caught the irony and gazed at him flatly. "Yeah, like that'll help. Then you'll be an ass to everyone and I'll get a bad reputation for supposedly hanging out with you."

Snorting, Shuuhei chuckled and said, "Well, in some scenarios... But if you ever meet anyone who won't back off when you want them to...come tell me or Kira Izuru, the Third's lieutenant, or go to the Thirteenth and tell Captain Ukitake. We'll see that something gets done." Ruffling her hair like she was his little sister and had done well, he chuckled again and nodded her onward. "Go get 'em, girl."

Then the year's graduations were over, and the girl had won the highest rank of all her group. She was a seated officer in the Gotei Thirteen, and had made it into the Third, where she would be looked after quite well by Kira Izuru. The curious look laden with hidden amusement the blond shot him told the tattooed lieutenant that much. As everyone dispersed, he saluted his friend sarcastically, just to tweak his temper.

_Yeah, so maybe I'm an ass when I'm not drunk, too,_ the raven-haired man thought, shunpoing back to his squad headquarters. _But anyone who's going to get offended by that little fact isn't worth calling a friend._ He was glad the year was over, though; not having to deal with idiots every day would be _such_ a relief.

How was he supposed to know that Ichigo Kurosaki had left saddened? Not only would the young redhead be losing the only good friend he had classes with to work, but now the lieutenant who had made adjusting so much easier wasn't going to be teaching next year either. Next year was going to be hell.


	2. Two Down

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, uh, I wanted to extend this chapter a good bit longer, but it just wouldn't cooperate with me. But I'm sure you'll all be glad to know that the rest should be longer, and there will be a sixth chapter, as opposed to Kat's five parts (because of General Zargon's query in a review on FFnet). Still, I hope you all enjoy this update, and I'll try to get another update out soon.

**Rewired: Two Down**

When classes started the next year, Lieutenant Hisagi honestly thought he would be relieved. No more imbeciles pulling stunts that got him dragged out of bed at insane hours - hours when he was in bed or, on three rather embarrassing occasions, hungover - to dish out punishment, no more handling the work of a lieutenant and a captain _and_ a teacher... It should have been a load off his shoulders.

But it wasn't. He found he missed helping the studious, serious learners, like Kurosaki and the mousy brunette who'd had to flee to him one evening for help with a persistent boor who didn't have the intelligence to be scared when Kira had threatened him. Shuuhei had casually draped an arm over the scared girl's shoulders, downed his latest serving of sake, and grinned toothily.

"So, I take it he's making a nuisance of himself?" he'd growled, grinning cruelly. When brown hair waved in a timid nod, he'd sat her down in his own chair and told his drinking companions, "Watch her."

Words and assignments were his methods of discipline only inside Squad Nine; outside, he had neither the authority nor the patience. So he'd calmly poured himself another cup of sake and gestured with his fingers for the persistent man to begin. "Bring it on, amateur," he'd drawled amusedly, drinking his sake. The cup was to his lips when the other man lunged, and Shuuhei didn't turn a hair. He just lowered his center of gravity and gave the man such a punch to the stomach that he flew backward and took out a table. (Thankfully the table was empty, or it would've started a bar brawl - not that Hisagi would have minded; it would have entertained him. But this fool wasn't worth having to pay damages.)

Shakily, the man stood up again, roaring with anger, and charged. Finished with his current drink, the tattooed officer set his cup before the girl with a soft but pointed _clink_ and finally acted. Eyes darkening with annoyance, the raven-haired lieutenant quickly moved forward and chopped down with the edge of his hand. He caught the other man a blow to the neck that was all the more cruel for its carefully calculated strength; it didn't knock him cold, just caused extreme pain.

"Next time you try to pick on someone," he growled as he hefted the limp weight by its shirt and pants, "you might think about the fact that everyone has friends." Pitching the groaning man out of the bar headfirst, he returned to the table with another chair and retrieved his cup.

"...friends?" the girl asked faintly. "You were my sensei."

Grinning smugly as he poured himself more sake, Hisagi winked at her. "He doesn't know that. And you'd fit in with everyone here if you'd just remember we're not going to bite you for no reason - and if we do, either you can get paybacks, or someone else will do it for you."

Then Rangiku arrived. She must have recognized the girl because with an enthusiastic exclamation she hugged the younger woman tight and insisted she stay longer and get to know everyone.

Needless to say, that night was long, chaotic and fun, and they introduced the little brunette to the joys of drinking with superiors. Her views on lieutenants and seated officers would never quite be the same again.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ichigo Kurosaki wandered into his class the first day of his second year, wondering how the hell he was going to make it through this time. Lieutenant Hisagi was no longer his teacher, and his classes were boring. Since the only knowledge he lacked was about the history of Seireitei, Yamamoto had assigned him purely scholarly classes this year, which were great for the information but did nothing to help with his restlessness. He wanted to be out there fighting hollows, sparring with strong fighters like Renji and Grimmjow, something other than being stuck at a desk all day and studying all evening. This afterlife thing _sucked._

And the year passed seemingly in a crawl, but when he looked back, Ichigo couldn't remember much of anything but his - very - occasional sparring matches and the history that had been drilled into his head...and the loneliness. But at the rate he was going, he'd graduate this year and be working as a shinigami again before the month was over.

Cheered by the thought, he was distracted as the captain called in to teach this lesson stepped through the door. When the door slid shut behind said captain, all Ichigo could do was stare.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hisagi hadn't seen the shy brunette since the night he'd had to scare off that too-persistent male. The only one of his former students he'd seen more than a fleeting glimpse of since the new school year had started...was Kurosaki. And that was for sparring, which was a fairly rare occurrence, since the younger shinigami was studying hard in order to finish his required schooling as soon as possible. If he was hitting the books as hard as it seemed he was, the younger man would graduate this year. And, yeah, so all Kurosaki had to learn was the history and current affairs, but still, to have them down in two years was impressive, for someone who'd not known almost any of the material a scant few years before. Still, Hisagi's life currently seemed to be dragging its heels, or drifting aimlessly in the center of a becalmed area.

It was...kind of boring. At least with curious students, he was always entertained, and Kurosaki was most definitely interesting company. Actually, the kid had managed to leave him speechless once, too, and that was something very few others had ever done either. Shuuhei Hisagi might not _speak_ every word that came to mind, but there was almost always something on the tip of his tongue, and Kurosaki had managed to astonish him so completely that words were out of the question.

But for the moment, he had squad business to attend to, so he slipped into shunpo and made his way to his office. Ninth's headquarters were drab, for the most part, although he allowed the seated officers to bring in small things to brighten the atmosphere.

Shuuhei's office, however, held only work. He had a policy: no alcohol at work, and no work when he was drinking. So his office held a copy of each and every edition of Seireitei Communication he'd ever released, but that was work-related. There was no alcohol on the premises.

Sitting down at his desk, the lieutenant pulled unfinished papers from a drawer and got to work once more.

_Bored, bored, bored._

Kazeshini struggled once again for supremacy, hoping to 'stir things up' by what would no doubt be another attempt at killing his wielder. Luckily Shuuhei's attention had only just started to wander, so he caught the effort in time.

_Damn it, Kazeshini! Calm the hell down! I've got work to do!_

The blade made it crystal clear that he wanted action - if not something to kill, at least a sparring match worth his effort.

Shuuhei's eyes narrowed. _Don't push your luck. If you behave, I'll see if I can scrounge up a good fight when I'm done, but if you don't, I'll keep you sealed for the next three decent sparring matches I have with anyone._

Grumbling to himself, Kazeshini subsided. He could be patient if he had to. He could!

He just didn't like to.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The second time Kurosaki shocked him to speechlessness was quite a bit different. It was just a few weeks before graduation, Shuuhei knew, and the last place he expected to find a student was wandering around a forest near the Shiba home. Especially this student. Kurosaki was normally so studious, so serious, so ready to take on the world if that was what he felt he needed to do.

A hundred paces away from his former student, the lieutenant stopped, waging an inner battle with himself. One part of him - the one that still insisted that Kurosaki Ichigo was a hotheaded, impetuous warrior with no respect for either power or authority - urged him to turn around, walk away, and finish his patrol in peace. The other part - which remembered the face of that small, quiet girl and the absolutely blinding smile on her face when she joined the Gotei Thirteen a year previously - wanted to go over and wipe away the odd, lost, nearly blank look on Kurosaki's face. Maybe with a wet rag, if that would work. Because that look was wrong, and if Shuuhei was a dog his hackles would be up.

Really, Shuuhei didn't have to know Kurosaki even as much as he did to know that blankness was something _far_ out of the ordinary for him.

Eventually the second part won out, and Hisagi settled Kazeshini at his side and shoved through the surrounding undergrowth, ignoring the branches that whipped at his bare arms. It was a testament to Kurosaki's distraction that he didn't even notice Shuuhei until the lieutenant was almost on top of him, taking a seat against a nearby tree trunk and waiting in silence. The tattooed man didn't offer any words, didn't ask anything, merely waited as Kurosaki paced. He'd seen that expression before, on new recruits and old soldiers alike who had something on their mind they'd rather air, even if it took some doing. Because he knew that look, he would wait patiently and in silence until Kurosaki felt comfortable enough - or uncomfortable enough - to speak.

After a time, Kurosaki let out a sharp breath and threw himself to the ground next to Shuuhei, dropping his head back against the tree with a sigh. "That obvious?" he asked dryly. Somehow, he felt relieved that his former teacher was the one who'd found him. Lieutenant Hisagi was someone he respected, and truthfully Ichigo enjoyed their occasional sparring matches possibly a little more than his matches with Renji - because where the redheaded lieutenant was brash and perhaps overly straightforward, the scarred lieutenant reminded him more of a wolf...or a wolf pack. Hisagi was mostly straightforward, but when the situation called for it he could adopt a hunter's patience and cunning, and he was even more fun than Renji when drunk. (A drunken Renji was a responsibility Ichigo had been dumped with before, and avoided ever since.)

Shuuhei considered making a joke of it, shrugging it off, but that seemed a tad too rude. Everything he'd heard told him Kurosaki was a tight-lipped bastard where his own problems were concerned, and right at the moment he actually appeared about to _talk_ to Shuuhei. So instead of using humor to defuse the tension, he simply nodded and offered, "You can vent, if it'd help. I promise it won't end up in the paper."

Kurosaki actually snorted at that, verging on laughter, and closed his eyes. _Damn, why does it feel so...relieving...to talk to someone who's an asshole?_ After a second's thought, he realized, _Well, he doesn't seem the type to lie to someone to make them feel better._ "...I died when I was still pretty young, relatively," he said a moment later. "And I haven't really been dead for that long. There hasn't been a lot of time to really sort out who _I_ am, any more than there was when I was fifteen."

The number was obscenely low to Shuuhei, a shock to hear. One thought of the savior of Seireitei as a hardened warrior, as something more than a _teenager._ But...Kurosaki had died only a few years after the age of fifteen, body and soul weakened by the strain of constantly being forced apart. Whatever short time he'd had, it had been spent in almost constant battles. He probably hadn't had any time at all to sort out most of the things people realized by the time they were his age.

It was easy enough to draw the right conclusions, even from just those three sentences. Kurosaki must have come to some sort of startling realization, and was trying to understand either why it hadn't happened earlier or why it had happened at all. Trying to keep his expression inviting, Shuuhei looked over at him and raised an eyebrow.

Kurosaki saw the look through slitted eyes and chuckled, shaking his head with weary amusement. "Byakuya came to give a lecture on tactics for long-ranged Zanpakuto at the Academy," he admitted. "He walked into the room and the first thought that came into my head was _yum."_

So much for being supportive. Whatever careful, consoling words Shuuhei had been about to offer evaporated as a cackle of horrified, helpless laughter escaped his mouth. He slapped a hand over his lips to muffle any further sounds, shoulders shaking with shocked amusement. If only he could see Captain Kuchiki's reaction to that statement - the look on his face would be _exquisite,_ and the risk of death worthwhile.

Next to him, Kurosaki started to laugh, too, until the woods rang with the noise, both of them letting go of their mirth where Senbonzakura couldn't touch them. Eventually, Shuuhei managed to get himself back under control - mostly - sides aching and eyes watering, and wiped a shaky hand over his face. "Gods, if you ever say that to his face, give me advanced warning and enough time to grab a camera," he ordered, shaking his head. "Though it really could have been worse. The first time I thought that, it was about Yamamoto's lieutenant."

The redhead graced him with a look of tired, wary, amused disbelief. "That arrogant, moustached, by-the-rules guy? I don't see it. Not that I don't think _somebody_ could like him; it's just that I don't see _you_ liking him. You're too much of an ass, and I'm sure you don't say every snide comment you think." _I don't._ "But yeah, that would've been worse."

His words startled a chuckle from Shuuhei, who grinned affably. "Okay, you're right. So maybe it was Kisuke Urahara. He taught my class one year, early on. And for an eccentric genius, he's got damn good looks." The look on the redhead's face made him chuckle again.

 _"Mr. Hat-and-Clogs?_ You think _he's_ hot? Have you _seen_ him recently?"

Shuuhei graced the younger man with an amused glance and countered with, "Have you ever seen him without the hat I keep hearing about, or without the fan, let alone without both?" There was a pause that meant _no,_ so the lieutenant kept talking. "I got lucky one night; I was on errand duty, as one of the students with better grades, and they sent me to fetch him. When I got there, the only thing he had on were sleeping pants." Sighing, he shook his head. "He thought I was overexcited or something, I think. I heard later he was really dense about the nicer emotions."

Well, Ichigo knew that was the truth. Urahara wasn't a genius when it came to any kind or loving emotion. Far from it, actually.

"Pity, really. Would've been fun, I think. I was always hearing about his genius mind, and I don't mean only scientifically." Shuuhei sighed. "Oh, well."

After a time, Ichigo remembered what he'd been going to ask and huffed out an amused breath, running his fingers through his hair. "So it's all right? There's no prejudice about it or anything?"

Shrugging, Shuuhei told the redhead, "I wouldn't say that. There are assholes everywhere, especially among the lower seats. But look at Kyōraku and Ukitake - they're powerful enough not to catch any crap for it. You won't either, I'm sure."

"And Ikkaku and Yumichika might as well have 'married and domestic' tattooed on their foreheads," Kurosaki agreed wryly, rubbing his hands over his face and getting rid of all traces of his earlier mirth. For reasons Shuuhei didn't completely understand, he rather mourned its loss. "I didn't think there was anything wrong with it. It was just a shock, you know?"

Remembering a time when his attraction to both sexes had left him reeling and uncertain, Shuuhei nodded. On a whim, he reached out and patted Ichigo on the shoulder. "Well, if you ever need to talk about it, I'm available. Though it does explain why you avoid Matsumoto when most guys your age would be hurling themselves at her. Not that I blame you."

That made Ichigo - _Kurosaki_ \- laugh again, even as he stood up. "Thanks, Lieutenant. I'd better get back to the Academy before my last class." He paused at the edge of the little clearing, glancing back over his shoulder and offering Shuuhei one of those so-rare-as-to-be-unheard-of smiles. "Really. Thank you."

With a flicker and a step, he was gone.

Shuuhei sank back against the tree and stared up at the sky, wondering just how much he had left to learn about Ichigo Kurosaki. If the current trend continued, he suspected it was rather a lot. But at least the experience would be interesting.


	3. Three Down

**Rewired: Three Down**

"So, are you going to the graduation this year?"

Lieutenant Hisagi nearly punched his blond friend. "Dunno." He took a drink of potent sake, relishing in the burn as it went down.

Kira frowned at his tattooed comrade. "You haven't decided yet? Shuu, it's _tomorrow."_

"So?" He tossed back another cup, knowing he was drinking excessively but inexplicably on edge because of the upcoming graduation. _Damn it, I want people to teach again!_ Shuuhei shook off the thought, knowing his next turn on the rotation wouldn't come for some time. Anyway, it wasn't like he even _liked_ teaching, unless the students were serious and hard-working. Although he'd gained so many things to tease Rangiku over that it almost wasn't funny...but no, it was. (Who couldn't laugh, knowing that the busty woman had been flirting with students in the cafeteria one lunch, was bumped into by a succession of three jealous preppy girls—one of whom tripped a second later and knocked into the guys, the nearest of which lost his grip on his drink and tumbled forward. A moment later the world seemed to freeze as the drink came open and gushed its contents onto Matsumoto, most of the liquid and a portion of the ice catching in her cleavage. Rangiku had exclaimed something about saving the poor falling youth, catching him and holding tight...so tight that he nearly drowned with his face pressed to her chest. Whatever the kid's name was, he avoided the affectionate female at all costs after that, even going so far as to request a seat on the other side of the room during classes. And oh, Shuuhei had _laughed..._ )

An elbow to the side jerked the scarred lieutenant back to his senses just as aforementioned busty woman breezed into the bar. Her eyes scanned the room and seemed to light up when they hit upon her tattooed and blond comrades.

_Fuck,_ thought Hisagi. _At this rate, escape won't be possible unless we slip something into her drink. And unfortunately, I'm out right now. Kira, buddy, you better come through for me!_

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Graduations were a pain in the ass that Shuuhei had long since made a habit of avoiding; the last one he'd attended that hadn't been a teacher's duty...had been when Abarai, Kira and Hinamori passed their final year and were appointed Gotei members. So it was with great surprise that he found himself deciding to attend this one.

The fact that Ichigo— _Kurosaki, damn it!_ No matter how many times they'd talked or sparred, they weren't that close—was graduating had nothing to do with it.

It wasn't a duty this time, so it wasn't like he _had_ to go, but something—some sense of impending fate, he would tell himself later—compelled him. Attendance might not be required, but surely it never hurt to look good for those who would soon act as part of the Gotei? With this logic, he caved.

Probably the most startling part about attending this graduation was the number of captains and lieutenants present. Oh, Hisagi certainly knew the whys of that; there was a redhead graduating today who was friends with most and had a bit of a problem with drawing chaos to him. Perhaps some of those officers here were just around to see what happened with the inadvertent trouble-rouser.

He shot a glare at Matsumoto, who was hanging off her captain again. Then, for good measure—and to be fair—he glared at Kira. _Gods damn the both of you. Her for getting me drunk and him for not dosing her drink so we wouldn't have hangovers this morning._

It probably wasn't charitable of him, so he broke away from that train of thought and gazed around a little more.

Captain-Commander Yamamoto was seated in line, waiting for the graduates to assemble and his lieutenant to begin the event. Luckily the wait wasn't long this time, though Shuuhei ignored most of the droning speeches and roll call on account of not knowing any of the graduates save the last.

"Ichigo Kurosaki," called Lieutenant Sasakibe solemnly.

_It's like a gong; he speaks and I want to kill him for giving me a headache,_ Kazeshini told his wielder. _Won't you release me? I promise I'll put him out of my misery quickly._

Shuuhei's eye twitched. He set a hand on Kazeshini's sealed hilt and thought back, _Nice try. But you're forgetting something. If I get locked up for letting you kill him—or for killing him myself, which is what it would amount to—then who would be able to let you out to play at all?_

Kazeshini's presence in his mind froze for a moment, stunned to temporary silence. _Well shit. I hadn't thought about that. Never mind._

The tattooed man sighed. No doubt Kazeshini would attack him later because he didn't want to be stopped. He lived in the moment, did Kazeshini, and though those bright blue eyes might fool people into thinking he was nice, Hisagi knew better. Besides, the damn blade was probably plotting how best to take out the other lieutenant when they were alone... And it wasn't like Sasakibe was that bad; he was actually a decent guy, helpful and dedicated, although he refused to work for anyone but the Captain-Commander himself. Kazeshini was just kind of kill-crazy, that was all. Blood-thirsty at the very least.

While lieutenant and zanpakutō had been conversing, Sasakibe had listed the highly-touted achievements of the young redhead. Now he was moving on to the heart of the matter, the single, undisclosed detail that officers of the Gotei Thirteen were salivating to know. (Or, in the case of Byakuya Kuchiki, requesting imperiously, because drooling was just not his style.)

"Newly appointed captain of Squad Nine."

The gathering broke into a spattering of applause, astonished demands for clarification, and a certain undignified redhead bounded over to his friend and drinking buddy to _demand_ to know when Shuuhei had been going to share _this_ little detail.

Although he could feel Renji's sheer volume practically blowing his head to one side, that wasn't something he could focus on. Lieutenant Hisagi's only and rather dazed thought was, _Well, fuck me. I never expected **that.**_

It took a little time, but eventually Renji realized his friend was as astounded as he was, at which point the redhead decided to go ambush the new captain. Shuuhei shook himself to his senses and found a convenient tree, sat down and leaned against it as he watched the chaos bemusedly. Why would Kurosaki have chosen _Ninth_ for his own, when he had the pick of all three vacant captain positions?

He must have fallen asleep pondering the situation, because the next thing he knew, Kurosaki was looking down at him with a look of slightly perplexed amusement.

"So, ah, sorry for springing this on you so suddenly," the redhead began.

Hisagi frowned minutely. Was he—Kurosaki was _nervous!_ He wasn't sure of his reception? Or was it just a case of unfamiliar territory?

"I...hope we can work well together," and here Shuuhei nearly snorted at the trite and overused phrase, "and...well..." Ichigo sighed. "Mind helping me until I figure out how to do the job?"

Shuuhei couldn't help but scoff, teasing laughter underlining his words as he jokingly said, "Are you telling me I'm not done teaching yet?"

Ichigo chuckled, put at ease by the tone of the raven-haired man's voice. "Well, you have a way of making sure the lessons stick..." The light in his eyes danced merrily, humor rising in response to the good-natured teasing.

"Damn, and I thought I was done for at least five years!" He snapped his fingers mockingly, shaking his head with an air of despair that was so fake Ichigo had to fight back a smile. "Nah, you learn well; you'll pick it up quick enough, and I'll wind up with more time on my hands that I won't know what to do with!"

Something in Ichigo twinged unhappily at the prospect of just what, exactly, Hisagi might end up doing, but since it wasn't making sense, the redhead ignored it and grinned. "Thanks."

In agreement and willing to cooperate, the two nodded affably at each other and headed for their respective homes, relishing the chance to work together that the new day would bring.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Walking into Ninth's headquarters first thing in the morning was...odd, to say the least. And Ichigo Kurosaki felt awkward as he greeted his new subordinate, who was still going to have to teach him for a time—and for whom he felt...something. He wasn't sure what, exactly, though he could admit that even with his scars, Hisagi was hot. Well, maybe that was part of why he felt awkward.

_I'm not used to dealing with people I think are hot on a day-to-day basis._ As the lieutenant raised a hand to salute, Ichigo groaned. "Please, no... No formality this early in the morning, especially when I've still got so much to learn about the job!"

Shuuhei chuckled and yawned. "Have it your way," he said, stretching. "But don't go crying to Captain-Commander Yamamoto later that I'm _too_ informal!"

Ichigo snorted. "Not likely!" he scoffed. Amusement settled the last of the redhead's nerves, bolstering his fortitude as he followed his teacher/lieutenant into the building.

There was an abundance of humor in Shuuhei's voice as he said to the younger man, "It's better for morale to introduce you to the squad at morning training, though I'm sure you'll be glad to know the captain's paperwork is piled on your desk, waiting for you."

"Oh, _yay,"_ grumbled Ichigo. "I'm so _happy._ You give the most wonderful presents." His eyes narrowed when Hisagi laughed.

"Not all of it's from me," demurred the lieutenant, dark eyes dancing with mischief. "As a matter of fact, I believe a good portion of it has to do with the transition of authority to the new captain. And I don't rank high enough to give you _that."_ The amber glare did nothing to faze him. "Still, as I said, meeting the squad comes first. They should start trickling in over the next half hour, and anyone arriving after that is considered tardy and will be reprimanded in an appropriate manner. It doesn't do to be late the first day of working with a new captain, after all."

Something in Hisagi's smile was vicious and cruel...and Ichigo almost pitied anyone who arrived late that morning. As, almost inevitably, two shinigami did.

Kurosaki stood, seemingly impassive, at the front of the morning's training line up while Shuuhei tore strips off of the latecomers. The rest of the squad winced occasionally at the words used, or the stupidity of attempting to make an excuse. Really, anyone who'd served with Lieutenant Hisagi for even three months knew full well that he could be a hard-liner more than most, and he would. For the good of the squad, he would.

Every now and then Ichigo caught something Shuuhei was saying, though he was trying to block it all out. Thankfully it was a relatively short dressing-down—harsh, but short—and he was soon being introduced to the squad.

He hoped they weren't expecting him to remember all the names, because he'd already forgotten some of them. But then that was one of the reasons he'd chosen to join Squad Nine; surely Shuuhei would help him out? And look totally fuckable in the process— _No! Bad Ichigo! Quit drooling over your lieutenant!_

By the time Shuuhei returned from dressing down the latecomers, Ichigo had himself under control once more. But if the older man kept looking that good, it was going to be a _looong_ day...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Slight tweakage from Kat's version here, but it sure was a blast to write. Two friends and fellow fans of Kat's stories on FFnet have remarked that this chapter had them cracking up (which is flattering, but puzzles me, because I don't think it's that funny. Then again, I did write it, so maybe I wouldn't see the full humor sometimes).  
> Anyway, Kazeshini stuck his nose in where it didn't belong again; he tried to ruin the graduation, so I had to get Shuuhei to help me catch him before he managed to turn a celebration into a bloodbath.


End file.
